Costume Designer. Born in Naugatuck, Connecticut, to Jewish immigrant parents Gilbert and Helena (Pollack) Greenberg. He attended the New York School for Fine and Applied Arts. In 1922, he transferred to NYSFAA's Paris campus and while there was hired by Irving Berlin. Adrian then designed the costumes for Berlin's The Music Box Revue. After creating costumes for some Broadway shows, he again was discovered by Natasha Rambova, who wanted him to design for her husband, movie star Rudolph Valentino. Adrian worked with Cecil B. DeMille and he began working in Hollywood at Pathe Studios and in 1925, when DeMille transferred to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Adrian went with him. He continued working for MGM until 1941. In 1939, Adrian married Academy Award-winning actress Janet Gaynor. Their son, Robin, was born in 1940. In 1945, Adrian won the Coty Award for his contribution to world fashion. When he retired from MGM, he opened Adrian Ltd. in Beverly Hills, CA, in 1942. Adrian sparked new attitudes toward American style in the use of ordinary, everyday fabrics, such as checked gingham for tailored suits and cotton organdy for ball gowns. A beaded dress from Adrian Ltd. was designed to sparkle at a dinner table even when the conversation lagged. In addition to custom work, Adrian did a ready-to-wear line. To make the ready-to-wear line more exclusive, he allowed only one store in each city to sell his clothes. After suffering a heart attack in 1952, Adrian closed his business, and he and his family retired to a ranch near Brasilia, Brazil, devoting time to painting landscapes. Adrian is perhaps best known today for his work on the 1939 movie classic, The Wizard of Oz. He designed the film's red-sequined ruby slippers for Judy Garland, those original Adrian-designed ruby slippers are now on display at the Smithsonian. He returned to California in 1958 to design costumes for the film musicals "Grand Hotel" and "Camelot." Before completing "Camelot," Adrian suffered a second heart attack and died at the age of 56.
Costume Designer. Born in Naugatuck, Connecticut, to Jewish immigrant parents Gilbert and Helena (Pollack) Greenberg. He attended the New York School for Fine and Applied Arts. In 1922, he transferred to NYSFAA's Paris campus and while there was hired by Irving Berlin. Adrian then designed the costumes for Berlin's The Music Box Revue. After creating costumes for some Broadway shows, he again was discovered by Natasha Rambova, who wanted him to design for her husband, movie star Rudolph Valentino. Adrian worked with Cecil B. DeMille and he began working in Hollywood at Pathe Studios and in 1925, when DeMille transferred to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Adrian went with him. He continued working for MGM until 1941. In 1939, Adrian married Academy Award-winning actress Janet Gaynor. Their son, Robin, was born in 1940. In 1945, Adrian won the Coty Award for his contribution to world fashion. When he retired from MGM, he opened Adrian Ltd. in Beverly Hills, CA, in 1942. Adrian sparked new attitudes toward American style in the use of ordinary, everyday fabrics, such as checked gingham for tailored suits and cotton organdy for ball gowns. A beaded dress from Adrian Ltd. was designed to sparkle at a dinner table even when the conversation lagged. In addition to custom work, Adrian did a ready-to-wear line. To make the ready-to-wear line more exclusive, he allowed only one store in each city to sell his clothes. After suffering a heart attack in 1952, Adrian closed his business, and he and his family retired to a ranch near Brasilia, Brazil, devoting time to painting landscapes. Adrian is perhaps best known today for his work on the 1939 movie classic, The Wizard of Oz. He designed the film's red-sequined ruby slippers for Judy Garland, those original Adrian-designed ruby slippers are now on display at the Smithsonian. He returned to California in 1958 to design costumes for the film musicals "Grand Hotel" and "Camelot." Before completing "Camelot," Adrian suffered a second heart attack and died at the age of 56.
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ADRIAN
1903 — 1959
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